Two men sentenced for smuggling death of Honduran

SUSAN CARROLL, Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced two men in connection with a smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of an illegal immigrant whose body was dumped on the side of the road wrapped in trash bags and curtains, authorities said.

According to federal court records, Jimenez-Ulloa’s family members in Indianapolis received phone calls from smugglers saying he was sick and demanding $3,000 in order for him to be treated at a hospital. The smugglers later called back and said Jimenez-Ulloa had died, telling family members where they could find the body, court records show.

Immigration agents used phone records to track the suspects to a trailer park in the 13000 block of Hooper in Harris County. Inside one trailer, agents discovered a pistol and a “pollo” list, slang for ledgers used by smugglers to track transactions, that had the names of 27 illegal immigrants, authorities said. In a second trailer, they found trash bags and maroon curtains that matched those used to wrap Jimenez-Ulloa’s body.

Investigators said Jimenez-Ulloa was ill when a smuggler brought him to the trailer, where he collapsed and died in the bathroom. An autopsy conducted by the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office was unable to determine the cause of death.

Authorities said Guzman-Villa dumped the body on the side of the road. Guzman-Villa’s wife already has pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 13. She faces up to life imprisonment and not more than a fine of $250,000.